GlycoFi, Inc. Announces The First Production Of Antibodies With Human Glycosylation In Yeast; Researchers Make Leap In Protein Bioengineering

LEBANON, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2006--
Publication in February Issue of Nature Biotechnology Shows Potential to Design and Produce Antibodies with Improved Cell Killing, and Other Drug Characteristics in a Well Established Production System
Researchers at GlycoFi and Dartmouth College have reported the first production of monoclonal antibodies with human sugar structures in yeast. This research, published online January 22 and in the February issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology, demonstrates that antibodies with human sugar structures (glycosylation) can be produced in glyco-engineered yeast cell lines, and that by controlling the sugar structures of antibodies, their therapeutic potency can be significantly improved. Moreover, this same approach offers the potential to improve other glycosylation-dependent drug properties (such as solubility, half-life, or tissue distribution). Given the mature and well-established nature of yeast-based protein production technology, the reported work also promises to improve the production and scale-up economics of antibody manufacturing.